Last Report: 10/11/2020
Source: https://dl.ncsbe.gov/?prefix=ENRS/2020_11_03/

Returned and Accepted Mail Ballots

Ballots Returned: 473,174
Return Rate: 36.6%

Mail Ballots Returned and Accepted by Party Registration

Party Returned Ballots Freq. Distribution Requested Ballots Return Rate
Democrats 242,717 51.3 609,739 39.8
Republicans 83,506 17.6 246,038 33.9
Minor 1,632 0.3 6,739 24.2
No Party Affiliation 145,319 30.7 431,905 33.6
TOTAL 473,174 100.0 1,294,421 36.6
All
Dem
Rep
NPA
Minor

Mail Ballots Returned and Accepted by 2016 Vote History

Note: North Carolina provides only aggregate request statistics, so it is impossible to generate ballot return rates by 2016 general vote.
Voted Count Percent
Voted in 2016 General 351,801 74.3
Did Not Vote in 2016 General 121,373 25.7
TOTAL 473,174 100.0

Mail Ballots Returned and Accepted by Race and Ethnicity

Race/Ethnicity Returned Ballots Freq. Distribution Requested Ballots Return Rate
Non-Hispanic White 336,832 71.2 852,429 39.5
Non-Hispanic Black 74,942 15.8 228,295 32.8
Hispanic 8,954 1.9 32,933 27.2
Non-Hispanic Asian American 9,685 2.0 33,227 29.1
Non-Hispanic Native American 1,633 0.3 5,668 28.8
Other/Multiple/Unknown 41,126 8.7 141,869 29.0
TOTAL 473,174 100.0 1,294,421 36.6

Mail Ballots Returned and Accepted by Age

Age Returned Ballots Freq. Distribution Requested Ballots Return Rate
18 to 25 26,233 5.5 119,309 22.0
26 to 40 61,010 12.9 237,774 25.7
41 to 65 162,076 34.3 474,656 34.1
66 and up 211,834 44.8 462,682 45.8
TOTAL 473,174 100.0 1,294,421 36.6

Mail Ballots Returned and Accepted by Gender

Gender Returned Ballots Freq. Distribution Requested Ballots Return Rate
Female 252,620 53.4 696,450 36.3
Male 194,666 41.1 502,482 38.7
Unknown 25,888 5.5 95,489 27.1
TOTAL 473,174 100.0 1,294,421 36.6

Rejected

Ballots Rejected: 5,319
Rejection Rate: 1.1%

Most of these rejected ballots are for the ballot status reason of “WITNESS INFO INCOMPLETE”.

North Carolina election officials are required by state law to follow up with these voters. If you are a North Carolina voter concerned about your mail ballot, you can track the status of your ballot at the North Carolina State Board of Elections website.

In the “All” mail ballot returned statistics, I add the mail ballots that are returned and accepted with the rejected ballots. Dividing the number of rejected by this quantity yields a rejection rate.

Mail Ballots Rejected by Party Registration

Party Rejected Ballots Freq. Distribution All Returned Ballots Rejection Rate
Democrats 3,271 61.5 245,988 1.3
Republicans 877 16.5 84,383 1.0
Minor 20 0.4 1,652 1.2
No Party Affiliation 1,151 21.6 146,470 0.8
TOTAL 5,319 100.0 478,493 1.1
All
Dem
Rep
NPA
Minor

Mail Ballots Rejected by Race and Ethnicity

Race/Ethnicity Rejected Ballots Freq. Distribution All Returned Ballots Rejection Rate
Non-Hispanic White 2,234 42.0 339,066 0.7
Non-Hispanic Black 2,185 41.1 77,127 2.8
Hispanic 195 3.7 9,149 2.1
Non-Hispanic Asian American 141 2.7 9,826 1.4
Non-Hispanic Native American 89 1.7 1,722 5.2
Other/Multiple/Unknown 475 8.9 41,601 1.1
TOTAL 5,319 100.0 478,493 1.1
Non-Hispanic White
Non-Hispanic Black

Requested

Ballots Requested: 1,294,421
Request Rate: 17.9%

Mail Ballot Requests by Party Registration

North Carolina registered Democrats have a 363,701 ballot request lead over registered Republicans.

Party Count Percent
Democrats 609,739 47.1
Republicans 246,038 19.0
Minor 6,739 0.5
No Party Affiliation 431,905 33.4
TOTAL 1,294,421 100.0

North Carolina releases an update to the voter registration file each Saturday. The voter registration numbers are from the most recent release and may be slightly dated.

All
Dem
Rep
NPA
Minor

Mail Ballot Requests by Race and Ethnicity

Race Count Percent
Non-Hispanic White 852,429 65.9
Non-Hispanic Black 228,295 17.6
Hispanic 32,933 2.5
Non-Hispanic Asian American 33,227 2.6
Non-Hispanic Native American 5,668 0.4
Other/Multiple/Unknown 141,869 11.0
TOTAL 1,294,421 100.0

Mail Ballot Requests by Age

North Carolina provides mail ballot request data in age ranges inconsistent with other states’ ranges. The age statistics presented here are not included in the national age statistics.

Age Count Percent
18 to 25 119,309 9.2
26 to 40 237,774 18.4
41 to 65 474,656 36.7
66 and up 462,682 35.7
TOTAL 1,294,421 100.0

Mail Ballot Requests by Gender

Gender Count Percent
Female 696,450 53.8
Male 502,482 38.8
Unknown 95,489 7.4
TOTAL 1,294,421 100.0